


Advice

by ardentaislinn



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-09
Updated: 2014-04-09
Packaged: 2018-01-18 18:18:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1438015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ardentaislinn/pseuds/ardentaislinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A surprising someone comes to Hook for advice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Advice

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt by theastronomicalwitch on Tumblr.

Killian hovered at the edge of the gathering, watching Emma and Henry talk to David. He felt no need to interrupt or join in. For the moment, he was content just watching them all together.

A female presence appeared by his elbow, but not any of the ones he might have expected.

“Regina,” he greeted her without turning.

“Pirate,” she said in retaliation. They were silent for a minute, both watching the small family on the other side of the room.

“Did you have fun with Henry on the ship?” she asked suddenly.

Killian turned to her. She was attempting to sound casual, but Killian could see the genuine longing to know in her eyes. The woman missed her son.

“I did. He’s a good lad. Very bright.”

Regina nodded. “Thank you. For helping him and spending time with him. Since I can’t.”

“My pleasure,” Killian said seriously.

There was a pause and Killian looked back to Emma and her boy.

“You seem to have managed to ingratiate yourselves into their lives quite well.” Killian frowned at Regina’s tone and turned, facing her.

“What do you mean by that?” he asked harshly.

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “I apologise. I didn’t mean that how it sounded.”

Killian searched her face and saw that she was anxious. He recognised the defensive technique of verbally lashing out when feeling nervous. It was, after all, a favourite of Emma’s.

“What did you mean?” Killian softened his voice slightly and waited.

“I mean…you’ve managed to become a kind of unit with them. I was wondering how you went about it.”

“It isn’t something I ever mapped out in a plan. It just happened naturally.” Killian was now very curious as to where Regina was going with this conversation.

“I see,” Regina replied. She hesitated. “But you do find ways to spend time with them. You…,” she made a sound of frustration and stopped.

“What is it you are really asking, Regina?”

She studied him, until she eventually must have come to a decision of some sort. “How do you know that you are worthy? That they want you there? You seem to have such faith that you have changed, that you deserve them, even though she hasn’t said it. I’m just…” Regina apparently ran out of confidence at that point and shrugged.

Killian’s gaze flickered over to Robin, where he was sitting with Roland sharing some ice cream. He and Regina really did have much in common. “Maybe the fact that I want it so badly makes me blind to the truth,” he began. “But Emma made me believe in the possibility of a better version of myself, and that is a powerful thing. I do believe I’ve changed, that I have redeemed myself. And it is easier to trust in that once others start noticing it, too. But I imagine each journey is different.”

Regina nodded. “Thank you for you honesty. Both of us were villains for a long time, and I sometimes wonder if we can ever truly change.”

“Neither of us began as villains. We are just returning to who we were always meant to be.”

The words seemed to have an impact on her, as her eyes went wide as she heard them. She turned to leave, not even saying goodbye.

“Regina,” he said, stopping her. “Like I said, it is easier to believe when others see it, too. I’m not the only one that’s noticed.” He gestured to Robin and Regina followed his gaze. The bandit smiled and lifted his hand in acknowledgement.

“Thank you,” she said again, her voice low with emotion. Regina made her way over to the Hood males as Killian watched.

“What were you two talking about?” Emma’s voice sounded behind him. Killian turned to see her standing unnecessarily close and grinned.

“Boys,” he replied, amused. Robin would kill him if he heard that he had called him a boy, but Henry certainly counted.

Emma looked taken aback. “Boys?” she glanced over to see Regina at the table with Robin and Roland and gave a little huff of laughter. “You were giving her advice on her love life?”

Killian shrugged, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed. “We are both in similar situations. I was just sharing my experience.”

“And what situations are those? Are you secretly crazy about Robin like she is?” Emma smiled teasingly.

“Well, I _am_ crazy for a reformed thief. But not that one.”

Emma sucked in a breath and her face went blank. “Oh,” she murmured.

Killian just watched her impassively, waiting, as always, to see how she would react.

“Do you think they’ll be good for each other?” she asked eventually, looking up at him hopefully.

He gave her a slow smile. “I have no doubt they will.”


End file.
